Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington predicted an additional Earth-like planet in the Gliese 832 system, with stable orbital configuration and mass range of 1-15 Earth masses. The team analyzed simulated data using injected Earth-mass planet to find a habitable zone for potential new world.
A NASA-led CubeSat mission, CUVE, is designed to investigate the nature of a mysterious absorber in Venus' uppermost cloud layer. The mission will utilize ultraviolet-sensitive instruments and a novel carbon-nanotube light-gathering mirror to gather data.
Scientists have found a stratosphere on an enormous gas giant exoplanet WASP-121b with an atmosphere hot enough to boil iron. The discovery was made using spectroscopy to analyze the planet's brightness at different wavelengths of light, revealing glowing water molecules.
Researchers have found compelling evidence for a stratosphere on the enormous planet WASP-121b, hot enough to boil iron. The discovery was made using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and indicates a strong stratosphere on this gas giant exoplanet.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of Phobos, the smallest moon in our solar system, as it orbits Mars. Phobos is just 16.5 miles across and completes an orbit in just 7 hours and 39 minutes, faster than Mars' rotation.
A new study suggests that a massive asteroid impact early in Mars' history could explain the planet's unique geological features. The research proposes that an asteroid at least 1,200 kilometers across crashed into Mars, depositing rare metals and creating the planet's hemispheres.
A NASA-funded citizen science project has discovered a new brown dwarf, a major milestone in the search for a distant planet. The object, WISEA J110125.95+540052.8, was identified by amateur astronomer Rosa Castro and her fellow volunteers through the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project.
Astronomers used novel technique to analyze ETNO orbits, finding clustering of nodes at certain distances from the Sun. The results suggest a planet beyond Pluto, with its orbit potentially interacting with ETNOs.
Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet, HIP65426b, using the SPHERE/VLT instrument for the first time. The planet is located at three times the Earth-Neptune distance from its star and has a mass 6 to 12 times higher than Jupiter.
Research suggests that exoplanets near cool, low-mass stars require strong magnetic fields to shield their atmospheres from harmful X-rays and extreme pressure. The study models CMEs in a cool star system and finds that most CMEs are trapped by the star's surface, posing a significant threat to planetary habitability.
KELT-9b, a Jupiter-like gas giant, has a 'year' of only 1.5 days and orbits an extremely hot star that radiates more ultraviolet radiation than our sun. The planet's atmosphere is constantly blasted with high levels of radiation, making it inhospitable to life.
KELT-9b, a gas giant exoplanet, has a day-side temperature of 4,600 Kelvin, making it hotter than most stars. Its atmosphere is constantly bombarded by stellar radiation due to its tidally locked orbit, preventing the formation of molecules on its surface.
The newly discovered planet KELT-9b has a unique orbit, atmospheric features, and a daytime temperature hotter than most stars. Its surface reaches 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, just 2,000 degrees cooler than the Sun.
KELT-9b orbits a star more than twice as large and nearly twice as hot as our sun, causing its atmosphere to puff up like a balloon. The planet's day side is perpetually bombarded by stellar radiation, making it inhospitable for life.
A new study published in Nature Communications estimates that the ancient network of valleys on Mars required at least 10 times more water than previously thought to carve out. The research suggests that Mars once had a warmer climate and active hydrologic cycle, with an ocean playing a key role in shaping the planet's landscape.
Scientists have discovered an exoplanet, KELT-9b, hotter than most stars, with a day-side temperature of 4,600 Kelvin. The planet's atmosphere is being evaporated due to intense ultraviolet radiation from its host star.
An international team of astronomers led by University of Warwick discovered a giant gas planet up to 50x Jupiter's mass with rings, causing regular eclipses of the young star PDS 110 in Orion constellation. The next eclipse is predicted for September, allowing amateur astronomers to witness and gather new data.
The Juno mission has revealed cyclones on Jupiter's poles with diameters up to 1,400 kilometers across. The spacecraft also detected a massive magnetic field that is substantially stronger than models predicted, potentially powering the planet's huge aurorae.
Researchers confirmed the orbit and temperature of TRAPPIST-1h, which orbits its star every 18.77 days and is frigidly cold. The discovery suggests that TRAPPIST-1h may have been habitable in the past, with a possible rotation period and activity level for its host star.
Researchers found that heavy rainfall on early Mars carved out river-like channels and altered impact craters, similar to Earth's effects. The study used physics principles to understand the relationship between Martian atmosphere pressure, raindrop size, and rainfall intensity.
Astronomers have discovered a new gas giant, KELT-11b, with an incredibly low density similar to styrofoam, offering opportunities to test atmospheres and assess habitability. The planet's large atmosphere will aid in developing techniques to identify chemicals and products of life.
Researchers used the Met Office Unified Model to simulate Proxima B's climate, finding it could have a habitable atmosphere and stable climate regime. The team also explored different atmospheric compositions and orbital configurations, suggesting the planet could support life.
A new study reveals that HAT-P-26b, a Neptune-sized planet, has a hydrogen and helium-dominated atmosphere with a strong water signature. The discovery challenges the long-held assumption that planets like Neptune formed in a region of icy debris, instead suggesting alternative formation mechanisms.
A NASA study using Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes reveals a primitive atmosphere around HAT-P-26b, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium. The planet's water signature suggests it formed closer to its star or later in the planetary system than similar planets.
A team of international researchers has uncovered the primitive atmosphere surrounding a distant exoplanet called HAT-P-26b, also known as Warm Neptune. The study found that the planet's atmosphere is composed almost entirely of hydrogen and helium with no clouds present.
A rocky super-earth, LHS 1140b, has been discovered orbiting an M-type star in the habitable zone, making it a promising candidate for atmospheric study and search for life. The planet's size and mass indicate a rocky composition, and its distance from the star allows for relatively cool temperatures.
A University of Washington study shows that two leading methods for calculating the planet's response to greenhouse gas emissions are not as far apart as previously thought. The study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that recent observations support a climate sensitivity of about 2.9 degrees Celsius.
Researchers at the University of Leicester have discovered a massive, cold spot on Jupiter's atmosphere, comparable to its famous Great Red Spot, generated by polar aurorae. The phenomenon, potentially thousands of years old, creates a region of cooling in the thermosphere and has been observed to change dramatically over time.
Researchers found geochemical anomalies, known as 'fingerprints' of early Earth conditions, in young volcanic rocks from Hawaii and Samoa. These signatures suggest that the planet's interior may not be well mixed after all.
New measurements reveal that 66% of Mars' argon has disappeared from its thin atmosphere since formation, leading to huge climate changes. The research suggests that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide, which was largely lost due to solar wind bombardment.
Researchers propose that debris from an asteroid impact could have formed Mars' rings, which would then break apart and re-form into moons. The model suggests that this cycle may repeat, potentially explaining sedimentary deposits found on Mars.
A group of scientists led by Kirby Runyon argue for a definition of 'planet' that focuses on the body's intrinsic qualities, such as mass and gravitational shape. This new definition would expand the number of planets in our solar system to approximately 110, including Pluto.
Astronomers discovered a 11 times massive young planet, HD 106906b, which formed outside the debris disk and is 13 million years old. The study suggests this rare peek into planetary formation provides insights into how planets evolve, contradicting current theories.
Astronomers studied the HD 106906 system to see how a distant giant planet affects a debris disk's shape and structure. They found that the disk's flat, non-circular ring is consistent with a planet forming outside the disk, not inside it.
A team of researchers has found that the Earth's iron composition is not linked to its core formation, sparking alternative theories on why our planet has higher levels of heavy iron isotopes. The study suggests light iron isotopes may have been vaporized into space or incorporated into rock through slow mantle churning.
The public can participate in searching for undiscovered worlds in the outer reaches of our solar system and beyond. A new website, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, uses brief movies made from WISE images to highlight moving objects, which can be discovered by human eyes.
Scientists have observed the first time a star pulsates in response to its orbiting planet, HAT-P-2b. The star's brightness oscillates ever so slightly every 87 minutes, suggesting that the massive exoplanet may periodically distort its star, causing it to flare or pulse.
The international team released a large dataset of exoplanet-detecting observations using the radial velocity method, identifying over 100 potential planets, including one orbiting the fourth-closest star to our Solar System. The data will enable astronomers around the globe to search for new planets and follow up on existing signals.
A UCLA-led team of scientists has discovered a white dwarf star with an atmosphere rich in carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, the components of water. The study suggests that the planetary system associated with the white dwarf contains materials necessary for life.
Scientists propose that viscous relaxation on Ceres caused older cryovolcanoes to flatten over millions of years, making them indistinguishable from the planet's surface. This process may explain why Ahuna Mons stands alone as the only prominent ice volcano on the dwarf planet.
Researchers create swirling winds in laboratory using spinning table and massive garbage can, demonstrating that Jupiter's jets likely extend into its gaseous interior. The team's analog model mimics the planet's rapid rotation and turbulence conditions necessary for jet formation.
The Wolf 1061 system is a promising target in the search for extraterrestrial life due to its proximity to Earth and the presence of a habitable zone. The team's findings suggest that one of the planets, Wolf 1061c, may have an atmosphere similar to Venus, which could lead to a runaway greenhouse effect.
New research reveals that the Milky Way's black hole can create hundreds of planet-mass objects, which are then flung throughout the galaxy. These objects, known as 'spitballs,' could be detected by future telescopes and may pose a challenge to distinguish from free-floating planets.
Astronomers have discovered a shadow sweeping across the face of a vast pancake-shaped gas-and-dust disk surrounding a young star, possibly caused by an unseen planet gravitationally pulling on material. The twisted inner disk is casting its shadow onto the outer region.
Researchers have discovered a star that ingested some of its planets, revealing a violent history for the planetary system. The star's composition suggests it devoured four planets, preserving lithium and other elements in its atmosphere.
Researchers have identified an aerosol, calcite, that can counter ozone loss while reflecting light and cooling the planet. The discovery aims to mitigate the risks of solar geoengineering by neutralizing sulfuric acid emissions.
Researchers have discovered powerful changing winds on a gas giant planet, HAT-P-7b, which is 16 times larger than Earth and orbits a star 50% more massive and twice as large as the Sun. The planet's atmosphere is affected by strong winds moving across the planet, leading to catastrophic storms.
A new optical chip enables astronomers to capture clear images of exoplanets near their host sun, overcoming the challenge of intense solar brightness. This breakthrough technology uses an interferometer to cancel out sunlight and detect fainter planet light, paving the way for discovering planets with conditions suitable for life.
Researchers estimate technosphere mass at 30 trillion tons, exceeding biotic species. Human-made structures and waste now outnumber living organisms on the planet.
Scientists successfully measured the orbital period of K2-3d with high precision, enabling precise predictions of future transits. This improved forecast accuracy paves the way for searching for extraterrestrial life in the atmosphere of the planet.
A newly discovered valley on Mercury is about 250 miles wide and 600 miles long, with steep sides that dip as much as 2 miles below the surrounding terrain. The valley likely formed due to rapid cooling of Mercury's interior, which would challenge previous assumptions about the planet's geologic past.
A subsurface ocean of water ice may lie beneath Pluto's heart-shaped region, aligning almost exactly opposite its moon Charon. The existence of this ocean solves a longstanding puzzle and provides an explanation for the planet's gravitational tug-of-war with its moon.
Research suggests Pluto's subsurface ocean could be responsible for its current location. The 'heart' region, Sputnik Planitia, may have accumulated ice that made the planet roll over, creating cracks and tensions in the crust. This process, called true polar wander, allows planets to reorient without changing their spin axis.
Experts from Cardiff University propose that deep ocean storage of carbon dioxide may be responsible for the planet's 100,000-year ice age cycle. By analyzing tiny fossil remains, researchers found more CO2 stored in the oceans during ice ages at regular intervals every 100,000 years.
A recent study by Caltech researchers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown suggests that the large, undiscovered planet Planet Nine is responsible for the sun's tilted orbit. The planet's massive size and unique orbit cause a multi-billion-year wobble in the solar system, resulting in a six-degree tilt.
Researchers at Ibaraki University used ALMA to observe the disk around TW Hydrae, finding multiple gaps that match theoretical predictions for planet formation. The team estimates a massive, icy giant planet similar in size to Neptune, with a mass likely more than that of Neptune.
Researchers have observed a binary star system with two stars and three rotating planet-forming accretion discs, all misaligned with each other. The discovery challenges current understanding of planetary system formation and prompts further study to understand the physics behind this unusual system.
A study by Rice University researchers proposes that the origin of Earth's volatile elements, including carbon, can be explained by a massive collision between Earth and an embryonic planet similar to Mercury. This collision may have led to the exclusion of carbon from Earth's core and its incorporation into the silicate mantle.
Research from the University of Warwick suggests that Planet Nine's existence could lead to the elimination of a giant planet and its ejection into interstellar space. The hypothetical planet's presence could cause a 'pinball' effect, hurling planets out of the solar system as the sun dies in around seven billion years.
Astronomers have found a potentially habitable exoplanet, Proxima b, orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, just 11 days from its parent star. The planet's mass is at least 1.3 times that of Earth and orbits within the star's habitable zone.